


Truth of the Heart

by nakala



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blunt Malia, Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Full Moon, Liam needs his anchor, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Requited Unrequited Love, Scenting, Teen Romance, wise stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 06:45:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18493546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nakala/pseuds/nakala
Summary: "Mason crumbles into a heap in front of the window after watching his best friend disappear around the corner. He doesn’t know why he chose now to break his vow to keep his unrequited love to himself, but obviously he isn’t thinking clearly.  He misses Corey and the sight of Liam didn’t help, contrary to his friend’s noble intentions.This is it.  He’s lost his best friend.  He knows it.  There is no way Liam will forgive him for this. "Or where everyone except Mason and Liam know they are in love.





	Truth of the Heart

“You’re in love with Liam.”  Corey begins as soon as he enters Mason’s room from the window.

It’s late, past the time Mason’s parents allow visitors, but he expected his boyfriend. So, the fact that he’d just jumped in through his window doesn’t startle him.  Corey’s assumption stated as fact does, however, toss him for a bit. 

“What? Huh? No, I’m not.  We’re friends like Scott and Stiles.”

“Scott is in love with Stiles.”  Corey deadpans as he leans against the windowpane crossing his arms over his chest.

Mason frowns shaking his head.  “No way.  How do you know that?”

“I can smell it on him.  Like I smell it on you.”

Mason rises from his desk to stand a few feet from his boyfriend.  “Maybe you’re wrong. Maybe-”

“I’m not.  I thought I was.  Because this was how you smelled when I met you.  It hasn’t changed not once.  And it’s always more potent when you’re around Liam.”

“Well, isn’t that kind of how scents work,” Mason reasons, “I smell like I smell, only certain emotions or trauma can change it.  Been pretty emotion-neutral since after becoming the beast.”

“You said you loved me.  But your scent didn’t change.  Not in the slightest.”  Corey looks down blinking quickly before meeting Mason’s eyes again. 

“But I do love you.”  Mason confesses.  And he does.  He loves his boyfriend.  Mason edges closer to his – he doesn’t know what he is going to be after this conversation – knowing that if he does anything more aggressive he will spook the chameleon and he will run. 

“Maybe you do but you aren’t _in_ love with me.  You’re in love with Liam.”

“Who is _in_ love with _Hayden_.  Who is not into guys.  So, what if I have… _feelings_.”  Mason argues gesturing wildly. 

“Not feelings.  You love him.  How am I supposed to just ignore the fact that you don’t love me as much as I love you, if at all?  Or if you’ll ever love me.”

A tear falls from Corey’s eye and Mason ignores every instinct to run to him, wrap him in his arms and plead his case.  He does gently make his way to stand directly in front of Corey.  He needs him to see the truth in his eyes enough to ignore his scent.  He does not want to lose his boyfriend.  Can’t lose this sure thing that has been his everything since it started. 

“I do love you.  I do, Corey.  And yes, I love Liam.  I have for longer than I should have, but he’s my best friend and that is all he is.  That’s all he’ll ever be.  I’m with _you_ ; I love _you_.  And maybe I don’t smell like it right now, but someday I will; you just have to give me time.”

Corey shakes his head.  Shimmers between invisible and his natural form as he seems to want to melt into the wall beside Mason’s window.

“I know it’s not fair of me to ask, but Corey I care for you and I don’t want to lose you.”  Mason shrugs his shoulders as tears fill his eyes hoping that his boyfriend will hear him out and give him a chance. 

“It’s not.  That’s why no matter how much I want to give you a chance, I can’t.  I love you Mason, but I can’t be your consolation prize.”  Corey lets the tears fall freely.  He’s losing the best thing he’s had in a long time.  But he can’t always come in second in the life of the boy he loves.  With a soft kiss to the corner of Mason’s mouth, Corey fades into the wall and disappears from the room.

Mason stumbles to his bed falling on his face.  The tears stream and his breath is too ragged and impossibly painful.  His perfect chance at happiness has gone and left him.  Left Mason to pine for a friend that will never be more.  To nurse a broken heart over a love that can’t wait for him, that doesn’t trust in the love Mason has for him. 

~~~~~

For two nights after Corey broke up with Mason, his sleep is fitful and limited at best.  When he finally falls into a deep sleep, he doesn’t dream about Corey or Liam.  He doesn’t wake from torrid fantasies or heartbreaking images that will never be.  It’s like Corey had been his protection, his safety blanket and now that he’s gone he's vulnerable.  Open to the cloudy barrage of images of hands that aren’t his and claws that can only belong to a very large, very dangerous animal ripping and dismembering innocents.  Most nights it’s darkness and the sensation of someone else’s blood covering him.  And the taste of warm human flesh on his tongue.  Mason doesn’t know which is worse, but he assumes that is the dubious nature of nightmares.  So, he tries to avoid sleeping until it is a necessity and his body forces him into slumber. 

Without the reprieve of sleep, his mind ventures to Liam.  All day his mind hums with thoughts of the wild boy.  Even when they are together, which after the breakup with Corey isn’t much if Mason can help it.  He actively avoids his best friend at all cost.

Long before Mason even thought of dating anyone he had learned to compartmentalize his feelings for Liam.  He’s managed quite well because he knows that nothing can ever come of his love for the person he’s known since kindergarten, and if his love is not returned then he would rather have Liam as his best friend than nothing at all.

 Thinking of Liam often leads to thoughts of Corey.  His ex-boyfriend had been this great new thing in his life and he cherished him.  He loves Corey.  He wasn’t lying.  And neither was Corey.  Mason loves Corey, but could he honestly say he loves his ex-boyfriend as much as he loves Liam? There isn’t any denying that he loves Liam more and that maybe no matter who comes into his life he will always love Liam more.

That doesn’t stop him from missing his ex any less.  Maybe he doesn’t love him as much as he loves Liam and will probably never get to that point, but he would have liked to have had the chance to try.  It is unfair and selfish of him, but he is always giving and after everything he’s been through with the beast he just wants something for himself.  Something good.  Something safe for him and someone that wants him back. 

For weeks, he mourns what he could have had with Corey.  Sulks over what he wanted to have with Corey.  Cries about what he will never have with the best thing that has ever happened to him.  All of which, includes staying away from Liam. 

He should have known it was only a matter of time before his best friend showed up looking for him, his happy-go-lucky sidekick.    

When Liam pops up at his home, Mason’s in bed and can hear laughter from downstairs; Liam always had a way with his parents when they were around.  He doesn’t want to deal with him.  Not now.  Not any time in the near future.  He just wants to sleep or try his best to get some sleep no matter how poor the quality. 

As the sound of Liam’s footfalls near his door, he rolls over onto his back pulling the covers over his face. 

He doesn’t groan when Liam joins him on his bed, but he wants to.

“Come on, Mase.  It’s been three weeks, you gotta get out,” Liam pulls the covers from over Mason’s face.  “It’s Saturday; let’s go to a movie or that club you like, just you and me.  I can be your wing-man.”

Mason can practically hear the smile in Liam’s voice.  He knows Liam thinks he’s doing a good thing, but he’s wrong.  “I don’t need a wing-man.  I don’t want to hook up with some random dude.  I want my boyfriend back, but because I’m a colossal idiot that’s not going to happen.  So, you should go find Hayden and enjoy the rest of the day.” 

“Hayden is doing some sister thing with her sister.  Besides you need me.  And I’ll always be there whenever you need me,” Liam says nudging Mason’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Liam, but I don’t need you.  You can’t fix this.”  Mason climbs from under his covers to slide to the foot of his bed. 

“Sure, I can.” Liam protests as he joins his best friend at the bottom and adding insult to injury throws his arm over Mason’s shoulder tugging him into his side. 

“No, you can’t.  So just…could you leave.”  Mason murmurs pulling himself free of the werewolf. 

Liam stares at Mason.  Really observes him.  His puffy eyes.  His heart rate.  The state of his room.  His scent.  Which isn’t much different than the usual, except layered on top is hurt and sadness that has been growing the past few weeks.  And anger.  The anger is new.  His friend is angry.  But Liam doesn’t understand why.

“Hey Mason.”

“What?” he moans.

“Why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry,” Mason denies as he falls back and hides his face under his pillow.

“You are.  I can smell it.”

“Doesn’t matter.  Can you just leave.”  Mason mutters into his pillow.

“Dude.  You can’t pine for Corey for forever.  He’s a loser for dumping you like he did and you deserve better.  You deserve to get over him and move on.”

Mason sits up to face Liam frustration burning inside him on the verge of bursting.  “Moving on is not an option okay.  I can’t -the person-will you just go.  I will be fine on my own.  Just go Liam.” 

He stares into his friend’s eyes begging for a reprieve, for his friend to listen to him just this once.

But Liam doesn’t go, he stubbornly examines his best friend wishing he could figure him out.  Wishing he could help. 

Shaking his head Mason flings himself onto his back tossing his arm over his face.  He is so tired of being in this place with Liam.  He hates that as close as he and his best friend are they will always be further apart than he truly wants them to be.  Mason starts to cry.  Silent tears roll down his face. 

Liam smells the fresh tears in the air.  “Mase,” he sighs sympathetically.  He touches Mason’s leg. 

“I said go home.” He whispers.

“Dude, he wasn’t worth it-”

Mason jumps from the bed “You know what? He was. Corey was worth it, and I blew it because I’m pathetic and the biggest sap on this side of the continent.”  He yells pacing across his room.  “It’s not like – I don’t have a chance, I know, but I can’t and you are so – ugh – can you please just go, Liam.”  He croaks sinking back on the bed beside Liam.

“What are you talking about.  What about m-”

The room stills and words fail Liam as Mason’s lips press gently into his and disappear before he can process what just happened.

When he finally does catch up to reality, Mason has opened his window facing away from him.

“See, I told you you couldn’t fix it.  So, **will** you **please** leave?”

Mason is crying and more than that his heart is breaking and Liam can smell it.  He can feel it.  It’s all around him and he can’t take it; so, he does as his best friend tells him and escapes through the open window.

Mason is there.  With tears streaming down his face when Liam breaks his steady stride to glance up at Mason’s window.  He only looks for a second before he can’t stand the sight anymore and abruptly turns around sprinting away.

Mason crumbles into a heap in front of the window after watching his best friend disappear around the corner.  He doesn’t know why he chose now to break his vow to keep his unrequited love to himself, but obviously he isn’t thinking clearly.  He misses Corey and the sight of Liam didn’t help, contrary to his friend’s noble intentions.

This is it.  He’s lost his best friend.  He knows it.  There is no way Liam will forgive him for this.  There is no way he can look Liam in the eye after kissing him, an apparently unwanted intimate encounter.  Balling into the fetal position, Mason sobs well into the night right there on the floor.  He doesn’t realize he’s fallen asleep until he awakens a few hours before dawn, body aching and eyes crusty from tears.  Tomorrow’s Sunday; so, he goes to relieve himself before climbing into bed, without changing into his pajamas, where he stays until Monday morning.

He tries to skip school, feigning illness, but his parents don’t buy any of his excuses.  Fortunately for him, he doesn’t have anything to fret over.  When he runs into Stiles, Mason finds out that Liam didn’t come to school. 

At his question, Stiles squints his eyes.  “Why are you asking me? You two are attached at the hip.  I see you with him more than his girlfriend.  What’s going on?”

“Nothing.  Nothing, just.  Nothing.” Mason turns to leave because he can’t be here doing a horrible job of lying to Stiles. 

But before he can get away, Stiles stops him with a hand on his chest, “You look like crap.”

An observation and hidden question Mason doesn’t want to answer so he deflects.   

“Gee thanks?”

“No like you really – dude have you been sleeping at all.” 

Mason shakes his head affirming the negative.  He’s been getting sleep but it hasn’t been the kind of sleep that leaves you refreshed and looking your best self. 

Stiles nods in understanding.  “Yeah.  I know what it’s like.  Being possessed by a monster whose sole purpose is to terrorize and destroy.  The Nogitsune wanted to kill everything in its path.  I was the reason for so much…so I get it.  And if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

“Thanks”

“Anytime.  And get some sleep.”

“Sure.”

Mason hadn’t thought about being the beast when he was with Corey.  There was the occasional nightmare or the foreboding feeling like something still lurked beneath the surface, but he had managed to cope.  He’d had Corey to talk to and Liam to sleep over when his dreams got too hard to take on his own.  But now, he doesn’t have either of them.  And yeah, his nondescript nightmares since his breakup with Corey have been pretty rough on him.

Corey severed all ties to him after that night in his room, and it’s been close to a month since he’s spoken to Liam.  Since the night he lay his soul bare.  Liam either couldn’t stand to be around Mason or thought the heartbroken soul wouldn’t want to be around him after he didn’t return his feelings.  The distance isn’t easy for Mason, but he didn’t see how it could have been any other way.  

It’s a few days shy of an actual month when he’s face to face with Liam again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The full moon, high in the night sky, calls to Liam’s wolf as if it were his first.  He’s been a werewolf for over a year and hasn’t lost control of himself since finding his anchor.  Yet, Liam is chained to a tree snapping and snarling at his packmates and threatening them all with bodily harm.  Stiles and Scott, not even Hayden, can get him to focus and rely on his connection to his anchor, which leads to Scott calling Mason.

“Hey what’s up Scott.”

“It’s Liam.”

“What is it? He’s okay?  He’s not hurt, is he?” Mason panics. 

“Nothing like that it’s … the full moon, and… he’s not hurt.  He’s…we have him shackled to some trees at the lake house.”  

Mason stops breathing; Liam hasn’t been shackled since after his first couple of full moons. He can’t tamp down the thought that the confinement must be making things worse.

“What do you need me for?  I can’t do anything; I don’t have super strength. I can’t-”

“Can you come, Mason. I think he needs you.”

Mason doesn’t think about it.  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He runs a stop sign and speeds the entire way to the lake house hoping if he does get pulled over it’s Parrish and not some newbie out of the loop deputy.

When he gets there, he sees Liam chained and he’s thrashing and biting at Hayden and his alpha who are trying to calm him down. But as soon as Mason gets out of his car, Liam starts to whimper and moan.  The second Mason is standing a few feet from him, Liam starts growling and yanking on the chains in an effort to break free. 

“Liam, stop,” Mason demands with all the authority he has never had.

Liam looks up at Mason with golden eyes.

“I’m here, and I can’t let you free if you don’t stop it.”  His voice softens, but he doesn’t allow the expression to reach his face. 

Liam blinks and his claws recede. 

“Mason,” he squeezes through his fangs.

“Yeah,” Mason walks over and starts to unbuckle the restraints.  He can feel Liam’s breath on his neck.  Deep inhales and soft slow exhales.  He doesn’t say anything; doesn’t let on that he knows what Liam is doing.  He moves in silence and Liam watches him intently purring softly whenever Mason’s fingers graze his skin. 

Mason sets Liam free and the young wolf looks up at him with clear blue eyes shadowed by a furrowed brow.

Having done his part, Mason turns to leave, but doesn’t get far before he feels Liam’s strong hold on his arm and hears a feral growl too close to his ear for comfort.

“Mason.” Liam’s murmured plea reaches digs deep into Mason's heart where only the words of his unrequited love can.  

Tugging his arm from Liam’s grip, Mason spins around and making eye contact with Liam says to the others, “I’ll take him home.”

“I’ll come with you,” Hayden declares eliciting a rumbling snarl from her boyfriend. 

She peers at Mason, who has averted his eyes to the ground, hoping that he will help her out but he’s too lost in whatever is going on in his head to see her unvoiced appeal.  In the end, it’s Scott that tells her to leave it to Mason, which causes her to storm off in her sister’s car. 

Once his girlfriend is gone, Liam relaxes. 

Mason can feel the moment that things shift and knows without even raising his eyes from their spot on his muddy shoes that they can leave without incident.  With his head downcast, Mason walks to his car.  Liam follows behind him as if being led by a leash.

The drive to Liam’s is quietly stifling and burdensome.  Mason can’t wait to drop Liam off and go back to his room to bury himself under the covers of his bed. 

After pulling up to Liam’s door, Mason doesn’t kill the ignition hoping his best friend will take the hint and hop out and go on his way.

But Liam doesn’t.

“You’re upset.”

Mason takes a deep breath before eying Liam, his left brow raised.  “You haven’t needed me since before you and Hayden.  Now out of the blue you can’t keep it together.  Dude, really?”

Liam shrugs, “The thought of you as my best friend, the person who had my back no matter what just – it wasn’t working.  I mean – I don’t know.  Are we still friends?”

“Yeah,” Mason breathes lowering his forehead to the steering wheel. 

“See, you’re lying to me, Mason. You never lie to me about important stuff and now…”

Mason turns his head to glare at Liam but doesn’t remove it from the wheel.  He’s so exhausted these days and this conversation isn’t helping.  “Fine.  I don’t know what we are.  We haven’t spoken in weeks and then this.  What am I supposed to think, Liam? You disappeared, not me.” 

Liam lowers his head.  He can’t face the most constant person in his life.  “Will you stay?  I can’t do this without you.  I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Mason doesn’t say anything as he cuts the ignition, gets out of the car, and walks to Liam’s front door waiting for him to join him.

They settle in Liam’s room, Liam at his desk, Mason at the foot of Liam’s bed.  Neither of them speak.  They don’t know what to say.  They haven’t spoken to each other in so long.  Allowed this fogginess to blanket the space between them blurring their understanding and thinning their connection.  That’s how they find themselves occupying the same room and ignoring each other until the sun comes up.  Room filled with silence and unspoken worries. 

The moment Mason is sure the moon is no longer lighting the sky, he rises to leave.  “Next full moon, call me before they lock you up okay.”

“Sure,” Liam mumbles climbing into his bed.

Mason doesn’t go to school the next couple of days because he can’t.  He can’t get out of bed.  Every pressure, every weight on his heart cripples him.  The deaths he more than caused, being attacked by supernatural beings, becoming one without his knowledge, Corey, Liam.  Since Liam had become a werewolf, his life has been filled with such chaos and horror, and at times even happiness.  He is beginning to wonder how he manages it all.  Is he managing it? 

He took two days.  Two days to brood and work through his issues.  On the last day of his self-imposed exile, he calls Stiles to talk to him about his dreams and losing his best friend.   Stiles is a good listener and even better at giving great, although slightly convoluted, advice. The upperclassman spoke as if he knew what Mason was going through.  As if he knew what it was like to love someone who didn’t love you back.  Considering what Corey had said about Scott’s affection for Stiles, maybe Stiles could relate to Mason because he was going through the same thing. 

It’s a Friday when Mason returns to school a little bit worse for wear but trying with all his might to get his stuff together.  The first step to getting back to his normal is going to the lacrosse game after school.  He’s never missed a game.  Ever.  Liam is his best friend and he’s supported him even if he didn’t always get to play.  This time, though, he wouldn’t be going to support Liam, not necessarily, being there in population would be more for him and his mental health than anything else.  Sitting alone isn’t a worry of his, he’d always sat alone for the most part before Corey, but he doesn’t exactly want to be alone right now.  Mason figures he could sit with Malia, she’s always at the games; or, he could try to make some new friends to sit with because without Liam always at his side he is sure going to need some. 

Before the game officially begins, purely from habit, he finds a seat on the bleachers watching warm up.  This is the first game he’s attending since kissing Liam, but he finds him in the crowd of lacrosse players effortlessly.  The second his eyes land on his best friend his heart skips achingly and tears cloud his vision causing him to miss the sudden stiffness in Liam’s shoulders and the angling of his body towards Mason.

Mason rises to escape his torment only to be snatched back down into his seat by Malia. 

“Hey,” her eyes narrow, “Why are you crying? Did somebody hurt you?  Who hurt you?  Where are they?” She demands claws starting to dig into Mason’s bicep.

Mason swallows thickly and blinks back his tears. “Arm.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s okay.  But yeah – I mean, no.  Nobody’s done anything to me.  I’m just – I’m just being stupid.”

“So, this is about Liam.”

Mason stutters, looks around then back at her utterly embarrassed and betrayed.  “Who?  Did Stiles tell you?”

“Yeah he did we’re practically best friends; we used to have sex.  But, I already knew you were in love with Liam.  I could smell it on you from a mile away.  Even now.  But it’s different somehow.  Sadder.  Did you tell him?”

“Not in words exactly…I kissed him,” Mason says cringing.

“Oooh.” Malia makes a face and puffs out her cheeks looking away from the pitiful teenager sitting beside her. 

“Yeah.”

“So that’s why your scents haven’t been in sync.”

Mason raises his brow. 

“Normally you two have complementary scents like two sides of the same coin, but lately, yours has been sad and Liam’s confused.”

“Well that about sums it up.”

“Awww, it’ll be alright.  As close as you two were there’s no way this,” she gestures with her hands, “rift will last forever, right?”

“I hope so.”

Throughout the game that Beacon Hills loses by a lot, Mason and Malia continue to chat sometimes about Scott and Stiles but mostly about nothing.  By the end, she’s forced Mason to be her tutor, and Mason believes he and Malia have become closer in the hours it takes for the game to end. 

It doesn’t hit him until he’s home playing Call of Duty that Liam has possibly, more than likely, heard every word he’s said to Malia.  Deep in his heart Mason wishes Liam hadn’t had time to listen at all but based on the shots he missed Mason knows his wish is a shot in the dark.

Thing is, it doesn’t matter what Liam has heard because he’s straight and Mason can’t have harmed their friendship any more than it’s already been damaged. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday rolled around without preamble and Mason was happy.  Well, he was…he was doing fine.   Like, he thought he could at least sit in the same classroom as Liam without tears spilling into his vision.  He hadn’t been able to even be near the lacrosse field without feeling the tell-tale prickle behind his eyes.  Maybe today would be the same, but at least he had hope and sometimes that’s all a person could ask for. 

Mason was early getting to school, nothing new; he was one of the few students at Beacon Hills High that actually liked school and what it had to offer.  What was new, well routine really discounting the last month of his life, was Liam standing awkwardly at his locker with his hands in his pockets. 

Staring at the guy he could categorically and truthfully consider his former friend, Mason froze losing his breath.  Only a few beats of time passed before the teenager spun on his heels effectively turning his back to the one person who’d broken his heart without even trying. 

One step towards the closest exit and Mason moved to quicken his pace but stopped in his tracks when Liam’s hand landed on his shoulder.  He didn’t turn around, but that didn’t stop Liam from walking around him to stand in his line of vision.   Liam didn’t force Mason to meet his eyes, as his eyes lingered on a point behind Mason’s bowed head.  He shifted on his feet and cleared his throat.  Mason didn’t even budge, but Liam could smell the tears, the anxiety, the melancholy, and it made his heart ache.  To distract himself from the heaviness settling in his chest, Liam broke the glass wall separating them. 

“I saw you at the game.”

Mason nodded and glanced up catching Liam’s eyes.  “Yeah.”

“I miss you.”

Mason’s eyes widened in shock then narrowed just as quickly.  “I miss you too.”

The sincerity in their statements drifted over them like a storm cloud.  Mason didn’t want to think about how and in what context Liam missed him.  No doubt it wasn’t the same soul depleting, all-encompassing ache that threatened to drown him each day.  A sob rose up the column of Mason’s esophagus; he swallowed it down roughly.  He had to leave.  Needed to get away.  His body jerked with the need to flee, but his feeble attempt was hindered by a pair of hands clutching his jaw, fingers meeting at the base of his skull.  Mason was pulled toward his sun, moon, and every star into the lips of the only person he had ever cared to love. 

Their lips collided and the hovering storm cloud burst showering and releasing years, months, seconds of truth.  Mason felt surrounded and every inch of him hummed at the touch of his best friend’s fingers digging into his neck leading him closer.   When their emotions settled into a soft mist, Liam let go but not all the way, mostly he just loosened the nearly bruising hold he had on Mason. 

Eyes shining brightly, Liam smiled and whispered, “I love you.”

 

 

Reality snatches Mason from deep slumber, he groans and rolls over burying his face into his pillow.  A tear slips from his eye as he whimpers, “I’m an idiot.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday morning arrives to Mason half covered but fully asleep.  Usually he’s up with the sun ready to start the day.  Before this mess with Liam, he used to have something to look forward to on Saturday.  Before Corey and Hayden, it was Liam and Mason kicking about finding anything to get into or just the two of them at either house playing videogames until they passed out.  After, he had Corey and double dates with Liam and Hayden.  He doesn’t have those things anymore. 

Sure, he could probably call Malia and she’d hang with him if only out of pity, but this doesn’t feel like a day he can even get out of bed.  The nightmarish fantasy had jacked up his head royally. 

So, he doesn’t.  Mason wallows in his sorrow grateful his parents are away for some reason or another he can’t be bothered to remember.  He slips and dives into slumber to be roused by the horrors of ripping innocent people to pieces or the sweet pain of Liam’s lips trailing along his neck.  He doesn’t eat, only sleeps, he does shower quick and efficiently then he’s back in bed in a pair of basketball shorts. 

As he falls asleep for what he hopes will last longer than a few hours, Mason resolves that tomorrow he’ll be better, and if he’s not, he’ll call Stiles or Malia because he doesn’t want to get lost in his misery. 

The sun has barely risen over the horizon when Mason is awakened by the heavy thump of footfall in his room.  This is Beacon Hills and he’s been around the supernatural long enough not to startle awake without a plan.  He has pepper spray.  Keeps it under his pillow.  The stuff works on everyone super-powered or not. 

He has a firm grip on the canister ready to strike the moment whatever or whoever reaches the right side of his bed.  Unfortunately, they stop at the bottom of his bed and don’t move any farther.  But Mason waits.  Doesn’t move.  Can’t breathe.  Then all the wind rushes out of him when his intruder speaks.

“It’s just me.”

Mason relaxes, removes his hand from underneath his pillow and rolls over to face Liam.  Once his back is firmly to his headboard, he rubs his eyes clear of the remaining sleep and makes solid eye contact with the boy at his feet.

“Is there an emergency?  Nobody’s hurt, are they? What do you need?”  Mason rambles tiredly hoping the answers to all of those questions is some variation of no.

It’s still dark in Mason’s room, but with his wolf vision, Liam can see that his friend hasn’t been sleeping or eating.  This close Liam can see the harsh jut of Mason’s collarbones, the sharpness of his cheekbones that have never been that prominent.  Mason has always carried a childlike fluff to his features.  The physical manifestation of what Mason has been going through falls on him heavily. 

He smells the anxiety in Mason building the longer he keeps his silence; it pulls him from his observations. 

“No.  It’s nothing.  Everything is okay.”

Mason heaves a hearty sigh relieved that impending doom isn’t the cause of this early morning house call for once.  But…  “Then why – what do you want?” Mason hedges. 

Liam shrugs, but doesn’t answer.  He walks to the empty side of Mason’s bed and climbs in on top of the covers sitting beside Mason, shoulders barely just touching.  Next to him Mason becomes rigid keeping his eyes forward. 

A laden silence unravels and settles between them.  Liam has only ever seen his best friend like this once and that was right before he’d told Liam he was gay.  Mason hadn’t had anything to worry about but then there wasn’t any way he could have known that.  He doesn’t like seeing Mason like this.  Misses his enthusiastically vibrant, carefree friend.  Liam takes a gulp of air in then lays his eyes on his best friend’s profile.  Stares.  Observes.  Smells.

For the first time since he’s been a wolf, he notices a difference in Mason’s scent.  Not the first time, when Corey came along there was a slight shift that angered and stirred his baser instincts to maim and dispose of the chameleon. After Corey and Mason became official, the shift in Mason’s scent faded into its original fragrance that made Liam feel comfort and contentment.  It didn’t start changing again until after the kiss.  This time the chemo-signals make Liam’s heart hurt and forces his mind into secret places.  After much thought and a few conversations, he’s come to realize that the scent he’d classified as Mason, isn’t just Mason’s natural scent, but it is Mason in love which is constant.  Even now he smells the love but he can’t mistake the underlying, overwhelming aroma of heartache. 

Mason takes staggered breaths to calm his nerves, to get his emotions under control and the tears at bay.  Being this close to Liam hurts.  It’s torture. He hears Liam breathe in long and hard and Mason feels it in his lungs.  Waits for the exhale but it comes with softly uttered words. 

“Mase, look at me.”

Mason doesn’t move.  He can’t.  Doesn’t want to read the blatant rejection he knows he’ll see hiding behind his friend’s concerned gaze.

“Please look at me,” Liam begs.  “You have to look at me.”

Mason turns to Liam with a quivering bottom lip he bites to arrest the motion.

Liam takes in Mason’s tear-soaked gaze then tries to explain to his best friend what’s been going through his mind the past month.  Not once do his eyes leave Mason’s as he speaks. 

At five, Liam loved Mason.  It wasn’t anything really.  Childhood adoration.  Mason was his best friend and he loved him, wanted to share his ice cream with him.  Share his toys with him.  Sit beside him at lunch.  Liam wanted Mason with him all the time.  And to his contentment sometimes he was.

When they were both ten, Mason kissed him.  Mason was drugged and in a hospital bed from breaking his leg.  It was gross.  And Liam shoved Mason afterward, not because he was a boy but because he wasn’t into kissing.  Kissing meant cooties and only stupid grownups did that.  He was grossed out but he also thought Mason’s lips were pleasantly soft. 

When kissing wasn’t gross anymore.  Liam hadn’t remembered his first kiss with his best friend.  Only knew that he wanted to kiss Hayden, and Gemma, and Keisha.

“So that made me straight, right?”  Liam questions Mason and the universe.  Neither of which seem to want to respond. 

“I mean, that’s what that makes me, right; I like girls.  I love girls.  I loved Hayden.  But…”  Liam huffs noting Mason’s confused unresponsive stare.  He thought his friend would be more help but all Liam is getting from him is puzzled grief.

“But, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you.  During the full moon and how I missed you and that maybe I had lost you. I was flipping out.  Completely losing it because of _you_.  And then just the sight of you calmed the wolf and I didn’t really know how to process that because Hayden, my girlfriend, wasn’t helping and just the sight of her was making things worse.”  Liam closes his mouth, his mind outpacing his words.  He’s coming to a conclusion, the conclusion he’s subconsciously accepted already, but he doesn’t quite have the words for it. 

Mason watches his friend rant or ramble, he can’t decide.  It almost feels like Liam isn’t even talking to him.  Trying to work out his feelings right in front of Mason, but not really including him.  Because he can’t mean for Mason to actually participate in his self-discovery while his heart is tearing and ripping with every word that leaves Liam’s mouth. 

His heart aches, but he doesn’t remove his eyes from Liam.  Gives him his full attention. 

Liam averts his gaze from Mason, shaking his head to dispel whatever thoughts, doubts, or confusions.  “I – just – can I try something?” Liam questions eyes boring into Mason’s eyes. 

Mason nods his head. 

“Okay will you close your eyes?”

Mason doesn’t question only lowers his eyelids.

It happens in slow motion.  Though he can’t see Liam he can feel him.  Feel him invading his space, feel his lips descend on his painstakingly slow and tender.  Feels Liam’s consistently fevered palm stride up the side of his neck to cup his cheek.

For a few held breaths Mason and Liam remain just like that, lips touching, testing.  Then Mason releases the air he’s been holding to pull away but only gets far enough to feel Liam reel him back in with a slight shift of his lips over his. 

Liam kisses Mason like only he can.  Hurried and aggressively.  Fully committed to his little experiment.  It’s more than Mason has ever imagined and sweeter than he knew his best friend had the skills to possess.  Despite the force of Liam’s lips, Mason pulls away first.  Jumps away from Liam as if he’s been burned.  He’s on the other side of the bed panting staring down at his trembling hands too scared to see the truth in Liam’s eyes outside of the moment he’d just had with him. 

“Liam if you’re just testing the waters, if that kiss didn’t mean anything…please don’t do that to me ever again.”  Mason’s eyes are closed tears gathering in his lashes as he pours his heart out to the love of his life.  “I’ve loved you for as long as I’ve known what love feels like and maybe even before then.  If this is just experimentation, if you’re just trying something out, please don’t do that with me.”  Tears stream down Mason’s cheeks.  He’s breathing harshly and trying not to dissolve into to a pool of desolation in front of Liam.

Liam scoots to Mason on the bed before he addresses him.  “Open your eyes, Mase.”

Even now with his heart dying inside of him he follows Liam’s instruction without hesitation. 

“You’re my best friend.  I would never do that to you even if I was still confused about how I feel for you.”

Mason nods because he believes him.  “How do you feel?” Mason questions looking his friend in his eyes. 

“I thought it was obvious,” he mumbles and grabs Mason’s face with both hands hauling him into a sweet sure kiss.  With three gentle touches of his lips to Mason’s, Liam states succinctly, “I love you,” in between each kiss.

Mason smiles as Liam’s lips touch his one last time. 

“Who told you?” Mason asks as he rests his forehead against Liam’s kissing his nose.

Liam breath fans over Mason’s face when he laughs. “I could have figured it out on my own.”

“Dude, I didn’t even know.  Couldn’t have imagined.  Who told you?”

They settle against the headboard of Mason’s bed holding hands.

“Well, Friday at the game I overheard you and Malia talking and she said something about complementary scents.  I asked Scott.  Scott chuckled and said, ‘you need me to tell you that you’re in love with your best friend.’ I got mad – he didn’t mean anything by it – but you know me – so I said, ‘at least I’m not afraid of loving my best friend.’ That hit a sore spot so we kind of got into a scuffle because of what I implied.  In the end, he said I was right.  He didn’t want to hurt Stiles.  But I pointed out that he already was by being an idiot like me.”  Liam’s hand tightens around Mason’s.  “I’m sorry.  Mase, I should have-”

“Don’t apologize.  That implies that you knew anything and you didn’t.  I mean I never even told you.  I stopped telling myself after that kiss in the hospital.  It wasn’t until Corey told me that I couldn’t ignore it anymore.  And speaking of exes…”

“Hayden broke up with me after the full moon.  Said I needed to figure some stuff out if we were going to ever be together again.”

Mason gives Liam a look that asks if he’s talked to her since he’s figured some things out. 

“I talked to her yesterday told her that I couldn’t be with her.  That I had feelings for you.  I didn’t say love but I think I knew then that that’s what it was.”

“How did she take it?  I know – you two were …you love her.”

“She said that she could smell something different about you and me that we were close but she just thought we were close like siblings.  She cried.  I consoled her.  She doesn’t want to talk to me for a while.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Mason rests his head on Liam’s shoulder and Liam wraps his arm around Mason’s waist.  They sit like that with their minds wondering away from the room they’re in and returning back.  Mason shifts closer burying his face in Liam’s neck.  Places a kiss where he feels the pulse quickening.

“Mase?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think we would have gotten here without Corey?”

Mason ponders the question before speaking what he believes is the truth.

“No,” he breathes, “It’s hard to believe now.”

Liam pushes and nudges at Mason until he’s untangled himself from him, until he can see his face.  His eyes are wide and his body is shaking faintly when Liam looks at him.  Liam wants to comfort his boyfriend but he can’t, not while his mind is in a tailspin over Mason doubting him.

“Really? You don’t think we would have eventually made it here, honestly?”

Calming down upon realizing that he wasn’t just about to lose Liam, Mason shakes his head. 

“Well, I do.” 

Mason opens his mouth for a rebuttal, but doesn’t get a chance to speak. 

“No.  No listen.  Yeah, someone had to tell me I was in love with you, now, but Mason, I would have – there were times when what I felt for you crossed the line.  When my protectiveness went well beyond our friendship.  It was always there; I just didn’t understand.”

“And you think that, what? When we went away for college or after that, ten years in the future you would have miraculously realized you love me.  Just out of the blue?”

“Yeah, I mean, maybe not that far down the road, but yeah, I do like to think that I would have figured out that what I feel for you is love, noticed that you were in love with me.”  Liam says squinting his eyes at Mason.  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“About what?”

“How you felt,” Liam says meekly.

“I kissed you and you freaked.  I just…locked it away.”

“We were ten,” Liam drones.

“I know.”

“You don’t think we would have come to this because you were never going to tell me, were you.”

“No.”

“Well, that’s stupid.”

“Shut up.”

“We were ten.  I thought you were braver than that.  You are braver than that dude.”

“You may be right, but I would rather have you in my life as my best friend and nothing else than not at all.”

“I would never leave you.  Not for good.  Given us space and took some time to think, yes.  But I need you.  Even if I wasn’t a wolf I would need you.  So, you never have to worry about that.  Even if _you_ break up with me.  We’ll still be friends.”

“If _I_ break up with you?” Mason chuckles.

“Yeah, ‘cause there’s no way I’m going to break up with you.  My wolf wouldn’t like it.”

“Just your wolf?”

“Yeah, well, and maybe me.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay.”  Liam agrees pulling Mason back into his arms and kissing him deeply. 

“I love you.”  Mason declares when Liam finally releases him.

“I love you too, Mase.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked.  
> All comments and kudos welcome!!!!


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